Grand Theft Auto IV Ships 22M, Franchise Passes 114M

September 14, 2011
Written by Sebastian Moss

One of the biggest and most influential series in the games industry, the Grand Theft Auto franchise has had a profound effect upon gamers and game developers, pushing the boundaries of what games can do, both technically and culturally. With the series having such a huge impact on gamers, it is only natural that GTA has sold well, with Take-Two announcing just how well the franchise has performed.

At a recent presentation at ThinkEquity’s annual Growth conference, Take-Two’s CEO Strauss Zelnick revealed that GTA IV has shipped over 22 million copies to retailers since April 2008, an increase of 2 million since March. In comparison, Activision’s Call of Duty: Black Ops has sold over 23 million copies – but it is important to note that HD consoles’ install base has increased significantly since GTA IV released. The Grand Theft Auto franchise has shipped over 114 million units since its 1997 debut.

Zelnick also revealed the new lifetime unit shipment numbers for other recent titles and major franchises from Take-Two:

Midnight Club franchise: 18.5 million

NBA2K franchise: 17 million

Red Dead Redemption: 12.5 million

Civilization franchise: 11 million

BioShock franchise: 9 million

Carnival Games franchise: 8 million

Max Payne franchise: 7.5 million

Mafia franchise: 5 million

Borderlands franchise: 4.5 million

The Darkness: 1 million

Whenever GTA V releases, it will likely surpass Take-Two’s previous records, but do you think it will be able to beat the records MW3 is sure to set?